Herbert Blomstedt

Programme

We’re rolling out the red carpet for one of the finest ambassadors of music in the world, the Wiener Philharmoniker. This orchestra, which was founded in 1842, is unique because it operates under democratic self-administration, meaning the orchestra’s members manage it. We’ve discovered countless works thanks to their recordings. This unusual orchestra also has no permanent conductor. Many of their exceptional temporary conductors have shaped the history of music and helped make music more accessible. Big names include Nikisch, Walter, Toscanini, Furtwängler, Karajan, Bernstein, Solti, Böhm, Kleiber, Giulini, Sinopoli, Maazel, Barenboim, Järvi, Jansons and of course Herbert Blomstedt. The legendary Swedish conductor, who is 90 years old at the time of writing, is an authority on the Scandinavian repertoire, and pays tribute to one of its most iconic composers, Franz Berwald, on the 150th anniversary of his death. The programme includes the Swedish musician’s Symphony No. 3, which is his most successful symphony, and Dvořák‘s magnificent Symphony No. 7, perhaps the most romantic work he ever wrote.